1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to all terrain vehicles (ATVs) and, more particularly, to a suspension restraint system used to lower and temporarily lock the suspension at a set location for the start or “hole shot” of an ATV race.
2. Background Art
The sport of All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Racing is becoming increasingly popular across the United States and throughout the world. ATV or “Quad” racing is the four-wheel form of the ever popular two-wheel motorcycle motocross races that are run throughout the world. A typical ATV race is run on an off-road course and involves a number of turns and jumps that a rider must negotiate to win the race. Riders generally race against one another through the course at the same time. The different race opponents will line up their ATVs across the start line and start the race when given the signal. Often a race may be won or lost at the start. Riders begin the race with what is known as the “hole shot”, meaning the riders may apply full throttle at the start to propel their ATV forward. Those doing so the fastest typically gain the advantage as the race leader.
While the goal of the hole shot is to accelerate the ATV as quickly as possible off the start line, often the sudden acceleration from a standing stop will tend to lift the front wheels of the ATV off the ground resulting in a decrease of acceleration and possible loss of position in the race to competitors. A loss in acceleration and subsequent loss in speed may mean the difference between winning and losing the race.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,852 entitled “Suspension Restraint Devices” offers a solution for motorcycles or two wheel vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,852 provides a post member that interacts with a stop member on the front fork of a motorcycle to temporarily compress a shock absorber and lock the front end of the motorcycle in a lower position for the start of the race or hole shot. The lower position of the front of the motorcycle will aid in keeping the front wheel in contact with the ground and allow the motorcycle to accelerate quickly and smoothly. While this solution has been proven to work well with two-wheeled motorcycles, the solution, however, has not been proven to work well with the more complex suspension systems of ATVs or four-wheeled quad-runners.
Therefore, a need exists for a suspension restraint system that is capable of temporarily compressing and locking a shock absorber in a lower position. This will, in turn, position the front end of the ATV in a lowered position. By maintaining a lowered front end at the start of the race, the wheels of the ATV may stay in contact with the ground for the duration of the start to help ensure that a constant acceleration may be maintained throughout the hole shot to propel the ATV and rider forward in the hopes of leading the race from the beginning.